The Japan Times  Saturday, July 20, 2013  5

Colombia independence day

Patricia CardenasAmbAssAdor of ColombiA

On  the  occasion of the commem-oration  of  203 years  of  Colom-bia’s  indepen-dence, on behalf of President Juan Manuel  Santos and  the  people of  Colombia,  I  would  like  to  ex-tend  our  greetings  to  their  Im-perial Majesties Emperor akihito and Empress Michiko, the Impe-rial family, Prime Minister Shinzo abe, the members of the govern-ment and the people of Japan. 

Colombia  has  become  one  of latin america’s largest economies and  a  gateway  to  global  busi-ness in the region. this year,  the country’s gross domestic product (GdP)  is  expected  to  grow  at  an average  rate  of  nearly  4  percent; public  finances  are  sound  and have  demonstrated  resilience  in the  wake  of  the  international  fi-nancial crisis. Foreign investment flows,  economic  diversification and  tourism  are  increasing  and Colombia  is  making  significant progress in reducing poverty.

Colombia is joining the elite of global economies with the sign-ing  of  trade  agreements,  which will  allow  preferential  access  to a market of over 1.5 billion con-sumers.  the  country  accounts for  21  international  investment agreements,  the latest being the investment guarantee agreement signed  with  Singapore  this  past week,  and  has  16  double  taxa-tion agreements. 

according to the World Bank’s doing Business report 2013, Co-lombia  holds  sixth  place  in  the 

world, and first in the region, in the index for investor protection and has registered a rate of visi-tors  which  has  risen  by  72  per-cent over the past five years.

Japan  and  Colombia  have engaged in a comprehensive bi-lateral  agenda  that  has  already registered  tangible  results  and provides a promising outlook.

Forthwith,  both  countries are  negotiating  an  economic partnership  agreement  (EPa),  a scheme  that  is  expected  to  fur-ther  boost  the  potential  of  the exchanges  between  the  econo-mies  by  achieving  greater  di-versification  of  products  and services.  the  second  round  of negotiations  was  held  in  May and included issues in the areas of  trade  in  goods,  trade  in  ser-vices,  rules  of  origin,  customs procedures, intellectual property, competition,  cooperation  and improvement  of  the  business environment. 

In  a  related  effort  to  consoli-date  relations  with  Japan,  the government of Colombia signed the agreement for the liberaliza-tion,  promotion  and  protection of  investment  (the  Japan-Co-lombia  Investment  agreement) in September 2011, in the frame-work  of  the  visit  of  President Santos to tokyo. 

accordingly,  the  visit  to  Co-lombia of Minister of Economy, trade  and  Industry  toshimitsu Motegi  last  april  reaffirms  the decided  commitment  of  both countries  to  advance  and  re-inforce  the  core  elements  and themes of the bilateral agenda.

the government of Colombia has  engaged  in  an  ample  num-ber  of  activities  to  promote  the country  as  a  touristic  destina-

tion  that  offers  various  experi-ences:  from  the  exotic  jungle  in the  amazon  to  the  hidden  his-tory  from  the  colonial  times  in the  city  of  Cartagena;  from  the vibrant  capital  city  of  Bogota  to the  breathtaking  landscapes  of the region where the mildest cof-fee of the world emerges. 

Promoting our destinations in-volves  promoting  our  traditions. Colombian  artists  have  come  to Japan to captivate audiences with the unique sounds and energy of the  country’s  music.  the  harp from  the  east  of  Colombia;  the vividness of Chirimia, the typical band of the Pacific coast; and the cadence of the accordions of Val-lenato songs in the north, all have had a space in different stages of Japan and cultivated a curiosity to know more about our flourishing nation. 

Colombia and Asia Colombia  is  aware  of  the  ad-vances  obtained  as  well  as  the challenges  to  face  with  the  aim of consolidating a more respon-

sible  and  thriving  society  inte-grated with the rest of the world. One  of  the  country’s  main  pri-orities is to play an active part in asia’s  regional  architecture,  be-ing one of the instances the asia-Pacific  Economic  Cooperation forum,  aPEC,  where  Colombia has  been  actively  participating in  different  working  groups  and attending relevant meetings. 

Colombia has been invited to join  the  Organization  for  Eco-nomic  Cooperation  and  devel-opment,  OECd,  which  is  seen as  a  reflection  of  the  country’s transformation  and  a  message in support of the tasks the nation has  been  undertaking.  this  will become a platform to establish a direct dialogue with the most ad-vanced economies in the world, and  therefore  to  exchange  best practices and strategies for more globalized policies.

the Pacific alliance, of which Colombia assumed the presiden-cy pro tempore, contemplates to strengthen economic ties among Colombia,  Chile,  Mexico  and 

Peru with the nations of the im-mense Pacific basin.

While hosting a population of about 210 million people of latin america and the Caribbean and 34 percent of its GdP, the group already  accounts  for  half  of  in-tra-regional  trade,  50  percent  of regional  trade  with  asia  and  42 percent  of  foreign  direct  invest-ment  in  the  region,  according to  the  Inter-american  develop-ment Bank. 

the Pacific alliance, a newly-minded  economic  bloc,  has  a promising future, and it’s seeded in fertile ground. these countries enjoy  a  buoyant  economy,  a  vi-brant and growing middle class, strong democracies and relative-ly low inflation rates. 

Japan is currently an observer in  the  framework  of  the  alli-ance,  of  which  the  most  recent presidential  summit  was  held in  Cali  in  May,  gathering  eight presidents and a large number of business  leaders.  Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign affairs Kenta Wakabayashi took part in 

this important summit.the  alliance  is  committed  to 

joining  efforts  for  a  more  dy-namic,  stable  and  long-lasting joint presence  in asia and  is al-ready  paving  the  way  to  a  new approach to enhance investment and  trade  relations  with  unified strength.

Colombia  is  currently  prepar-ing to host the Meeting of the Joint Economic Committee of Keidan-ren  next  November  in  Bogota. this will be an  important step  to advance  the  extensive  bilateral agenda  and  an  effective  way  to promote  the  ample  involvement of the business sector in both na-

tions’ common objectives.May  this  commemoration  of 

the  Independence  day  be  an occasion to express the keen in-terest  of  the  government  of  Co-lombia to work toward the con-solidation of outstanding mutual benefits  in  the  bilateral  agenda with Japan.

A dynamic economic relation with Japan

luis Genaro muñozCEo, ColombiAn CoffEE GrowErs fEdErAtion (fnC), And ChAirmAn, thE ColombiA-JAPAn EConomiC CommittEE in ColombiA

Japan  always surprises  the world.  after the  successful recovery  from the  tragedy  of March 2011, Ja-pan has started to  show  signs of  economic  growth  and  opti-mistic  perspectives  for  the  fu-ture. In this juncture of a weak world  economy,  it  is  remark-able  that  the  Japanese  econ-omy  is  helping  to  support  the recovery.

this  is  a  great  example  and opportunity  for  Colombia,  a country that is firmly destined to reach  its  potential  through  high economic growth, young and ed-ucated  labor  force,  and  its  con-dition as a source of biodiversity and energy to the world.

recently,  the  long  partner-ship  between  Japan  and  Co-lombia  has  reached  a  higher level  thanks  to  the  advances in  the  negotiation  of  an  eco-nomic  partnership  agreement (EPa)  between  the  two  coun-tries  and  the  development  of the  Pacific  alliance  mecha-nism  of  economic  and  trade integration  among  a  group  of 

latin american countries, with particular emphasis toward the asia Pacific.

the  Japan-Colombia  Joint Economic  Committee  Meeting continues to be the best scenar-io  to  boost  the  entrepreneurial developments  between  the  two countries. later this year, in No-vember,  a  new  meeting  will  be held in Bogota.

I  am  positive  that  many  Co-lombian products will soon con-quer the Japanese market in the same  way  as  Colombian  coffee has  done  so  for  more  than  50 years.

Colombian  coffee  is  now  a symbol of Colombia for Japanese citizens  and  maintains  an  im-portant position in the Japanese market.  Furthermore,  Japan  is the third largest coffee importer in the world and the second larg-est market for Colombian coffee, a position that demonstrates not only  the  strong  relationship  be-tween the two countries, but also the  importance  of  quality  and long-standing  relationships  for the Japanese coffee industry and coffee enthusiasts.

the Colombian Coffee Grow-ers  Federation  is  proud  to  be a  key  part  of  the  institutional representation in Japan and will continue  to  work  closely  with the  Colombian  government  to take the bilateral relationship to its  full  potential  in  the  years  to come. 

long-standing partnership gains higher level with EPA negotiation

Yorihiko KojimaChAirmAn, JAPAn-ColombiA EConomiC CommittEE, KEidAnrEn

On behalf of the Japan-Colom-bia  Economic Committee  of Keidanren, I am delighted  to  ex-tend  my  warm-est  congratula-tions  to  H.E. President  Juan  Manuel  Santos and  the  people  of  the  republic of Colombia on the 203rd anni-versary of independence.

I  am  certain  that  several  im-portant  factors  make  Colombia more  privileged  and  attractive than any other country. Its abun-dant energy, metals and food re-sources,  its  strategic  geographic position, being bordered by both the  Pacific  and  atlantic  oceans, 

its large population (second only to  Brazil  within  South  america) with  its  appeal  as  a  consumer market,  and  finally,  the  com-mitment  and  dedication  of  its people.

Colombia  has  been  Japan’s important  friend over  the years. and  this  relationship  has  been strengthened much more, thanks greatly  to  the  strong  leadership of  President  Santos.  In  recent years,  under  President  Santos, Colombia has been experiencing significant  improvements  in  its public  security  and  in  people’s standard  of  living.  and  these facts  have  not  only  enabled  the Colombian  economy  to  enjoy steady  growth  but  also  encour-aged  foreign  investments  to jump into the market with much speed.

In  May,  the  second  round  of negotiations  for  the  economic 

partnership agreement between Japan  and  Colombia  was  held in  Cali,  Colombia,  which  shows the significant progress of the bi-lateral  economic  relations.  I  am confident that the bilateral EPa, which is expected to be conclud-ed  by  the  end  of  this  year,  will contribute to the further expan-sion  of  trade  and  investments between our two countries.

Furthermore,  the  Pacific  al-liance,  which  was  launched  in 2012 among Chile, Peru, Mexico and Colombia, gives us another good  opportunity  to  approach these potential markets  in latin america.  and  in  this  alliance, Colombia  plays  an  essential role,  having  assumed  its  presi-dency from this May. I have high expectations for this regional in-tegration under the leadership of Colombia  to  expand  free  trade and to strengthen the economic 

relationship with the asia-Pacif-ic  region,  where  the  economy is  growing  dynamically.  as  an observer country  for  this Pacific alliance, Japan would like to fur-ther  strengthen  the  economic and  business  cooperation  with the region.

Finally,  I  would  like  to  note that  the  eighth  Colombia-Japan Business  Committee  meeting is  going  to  be  held  this  autumn in Bogota. It is our sincere hope that the meeting will provide the two countries with opportunities for productive exchanges on ac-tual economic situations of both countries and bilateral trade and investment opportunities.

In  closing,  please  allow  me to once again offer my heartiest congratulations  to  the  govern-ment and people of the republic of  Colombia  on  this  important day.

further expanding economic relations through trade, investments

Capital: Located 2,600 meters above sea level, Bogota is the largest city in Colombia and home to many international firms. EmbAssY of ColombiA

Art and music: Built in 1911, the Heredia Theater in Cartagena features a ceiling decorated by renowned Colombian artist Enrique Grau. EmbAssY of ColombiA

Legacy: Traditional hacienda houses are part of the coffee region landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage. EmbAssY of ColombiA

第３種郵便物認可 

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